Bowling grabs the Region's interest

Throwing strikes, indoors or out, is a new game here for all ages

Bowling grows as a local sport after several bowling alleys sprout up in Erbil and other cities over the past couple of years.

The sport of bowling began to flourish in the Region when several big malls and public parks were built after 2003. Although the sport is not played academically so far in the region and there is no bowling association to form teams and organize tournaments, there are still many avid fans and players in the Region.

Majidi Mall, Erbil's biggest shopping complex, consists of many sections including a bowling alley. After shopping, many people like to bowl. "I really enjoy bowling," said Ahmed Saqar, 18, taking a break after throwing five balls. "I like it because it is both entertainment and sport at the same time." Saqar, a high-school student in Erbil city, goes to the bowling alley four days a week. "I can't quit bowling; I am addicted to it," he said.

What most of the players are worried about is the price of the game--10,000 Iraqi dinars to bowl 20 balls--which is double the price compared to outdoor centers. "It is extremely expensive here; I have some friends in the school who like to come up here, but they can't afford to play."

Rebwar Hamad, 28, is a bowling fan who watches bowlers in Majidi Mall. Asked why he doesn't play since he loves the game, Hamad said: "I do not want to spend the money that took me eight hours to make today and bowl with it. I do not actually know why there is no federation imposing a fixed suitable price on the game so that everybody can practice it."

One reason bowling is an expensive game currently, according to some players, is because winter forced most bowlers to move from the outdoor centers to the indoor ones where anyone can play regardless of age.

"The price is not too high," claimed Abbas Ali, who runs the bowling alley in Majidi Mall. "If it was high we would not have this many people waiting in the queue."

Ali said that youngsters constitute the majority of players in the alley, though there are some in their sixties and seventies who give bowling a shot. It's the best thing for older people, said Ali, and "it's a great way to keep fit and meet people."

Saman Chomany is an outdoor bowler who has been playing in Akwa Park since it opened in 2006, and he is keen to stress that indoor bowling is not as interesting as outdoor bowling, where players enjoy playing more in the open air.

Chomany said bowling as his favorite game, even more so than football--which is believed to have the greatest number of fans. He concluded: "In football, a team is mostly made up of youths, but I have seen 7-year-old and 60-year-old bowlers here."